PADRES: Tracy's slam lifts Diamondbacks

Big blast off Gregerson proves difference

PHOENIX ---- Chad Tracy received his first curtain call in what
likely will be his last home series of a six-year Arizona
career.

The seldom-used Tracy snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a pinch-hit
grand slam in the seventh inning, sending Daniel Schlereth to his
first major league win in the Diamondbacks' 8-5 victory over the
Padres on Saturday night.

Tracy hit an 0-2 fastball from Luke Gregerson an estimated 432
feet into the swimming pool area in right-center for his third
career slam, concluding the scoring. The Chase Field crowd cheered
until Tracy came to the top step of the dugout and lifted his
helmet high.

"It's awesome, to go out with a curtain in probably my last home
series," Tracy said. "I appreciate the fans. It was a big at-bat,
and those are the at-bats I love."

Tracy has appeared in only seven games since Sept. 9, all as a
pinch hitter.

While manager A.J. Hinch said Tracy will start Arizona's final
home game Sunday, it almost certainly will be his last home game
for the Diamondbacks. Tracy has a $7 million option for 2010 that
Arizona is expected to decline as it leans toward youth.

Tracy's seventh homer of the season was his second pinch-hit
shot in two at-bats against Gregerson (2-4). He hit a two-run homer
July 6 in Arizona.

"It was a good matchup that we kind of circled on the book as
something we wanted," Hinch said. "Trace is a real pro. He's seen
his job come and go, and trying to find that niche of how to help a
young team. For him to be prepared and be ready ---- things haven't
gone well for him in recent at-bats. I thought the curtain call was
a class act."

Mark Reynolds hit his 44th homer for Arizona, which had lost
five of six and 15 of 20.

Juan Gutierrez hit two batters with pitches with two outs in the
ninth but retired Oscar Salazar for his seventh save. Gutierrez is
6 for 6 since taking over for injured closer Chad Qualls on Aug.
31.

The Padres had won three straight. They are 15-8 in September
and 34-22 since July 28, the second-best record in the National
League.

The Padres scored five runs in the fifth off Dan Haren to take a
5-3 lead, but Reynolds' homer in the sixth cut it to 5-4.

Justin Upton, who had two hits and a stolen base, opened the
decisive rally with a one-out single before Reynolds singled to
right. The runners moved up on a groundout before Gregerson hit
pinch-hitter Miguel Montero in the back foot on a 1-2 pitch to load
the bases.

Tracy had not had a hit since a single in the ninth inning Aug.
23 at Houston.

"It was a mistake. I tried to throw a fastball away out of the
zone, and it came back over the middle," Gregerson said. "I thought
I could get him to chase something away, but I didn't get it there.
That was his pitch. He likes the ball low over the plate, and
that's where I put it."

With his team trailing 5-4, Schlereth (1-4) got out of a jam in
a scoreless seventh. The rookie left-hander was Arizona's
first-round pick in the 2008 draft.

San Diego scored five in the fifth after a misplayed fly ball
triggered the rally off Haren.

With one out and a runner on third base, Tony Gwynn Jr. hit a
fly ball to right-center that eluded right fielder Upton for a
triple. That drove in Everth Cabrera to cut Arizona's lead to
3-1.

The play seemed to unnerve Haren. After pitching four shutout
innings, he gave up four hits to the next five batters as the
Padres took a 5-3 lead.

"In the fifth, I think he elevated the ball a little more than
we saw the first four innings, and we took advantage of it," Padres
manager Bud Black said. "You don't do that against Dan Haren unless
he makes some mistakes up in the strike zone."

Haren gave up nine hits and struck out eight, extending his
career high to 216 this season.

Padres starter Wade LeBlanc gave up four runs in five innings.
He is 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA in five September starts covering 29
innings.

Arizona scored three in the first off LeBlanc, when four of the
first five batters got hits.

Padres notes

LHP Cesar Ramos will make his first major league start Tuesday,
manager Bud Black said. ... 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff (back), who has
missed 16 straight games, took batting practice and grounders
before the game and should be ready to play by the start of the
team's final homestand Tuesday, Black said.